Away from the ephemeral joy and relief of three consecutive wins, Manchester United continue to ponder their long-term future. Top of the agenda? How to pay for a gigantic new stadium.

Old Trafford, as any supporter who has fallen victim to the failing drainage system in its roof can attest, is on its last legs. Modernisation, or a move to a new stadium entirely, has long been in the post.

Earlier this year, Man United revealed that option B was their preference, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe unveiling plans for a 100,000-seater arena and ambitions for the Red Devils’ home to become a Northern landmark.

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The designs – complete with three spires representing the prongs on the trident in Man United’s badge, the tallest reaching 200 metres into the moody Manchester sky – are expensive. Very expensive.

Matchday income and stadium capacities chart Credit: Adam Williams/TBR Football/GRV Media

Estimates have pegged the cost of building the stadium at around £2bn. And as anyone involved in capital expenditure projects will readily tell you, these things are almost always late and over budget.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, for example, was originally projected to cost Spurs around £400m....